Decoding the Riddle
by Lady Elizabeth of New York
Summary: AU. Detectives Gellert Grindelwald and Albus Dumbledore are asked by Transfiguration teacher, Minerva McGonagall to find her missing student Tom Riddle. Albus tries to stay focused on the mission but it's hard to do that when Gellert is flirting with Minerva and Minerva is flirting with Albus who is struggling with his feeling for Gellert.


It was a slow day at the office. Albus was doing paperwork. Or at least he was trying to. He couldn't really concentrate with Gellert grinning at him. Albus did his best to ignore his partner and friend as he had a lot of work to get done. Besides, he knew that Gellert only wanted to brag about the date he had last night.

Finally, Albus couldn't take it anymore. "What?" he asked annoyed.

"Ask me what I did last night," Gellert said smugly.

"I have no interest in what young lady you went out with last night," Albus told him coolly. "Now I'm very busy so could you please-"

"Oh you should have seen her, Albus. She was a beauty," Gellert began, ignoring Albus' protests. "She had just turned nineteen. She was a muggle and thought I was going off to fight in the muggle world war."

"And of course, you didn't correct her," Albus guessed.

"The poor thing thought I was so noble and brave. I didn't want to break her heart," Gellert remarked with a smirk. Albus rolled his eyes. "You know what your problem is, Albus, my friend. You need a girl to warm your bed."

Albus glared at him. "Please leave me out of this. I've told you before, dating or anything related to it doesn't interest me," Albus said firmly. "I'd rather be working."

"Oh Albus, you're such a stick in the mud," Gellert laughed. "Have some fun for once. Why do you insist that you don't want to date? Surely you want to end up with someone?"

"I really have to put these files away," Albus said calmly, trying not to let it show that Gellert had struck a nerve.

Albus walked over to the filing room, opened the cabinet, and put the paperwork he had done inside. When he turned around, he was surprised to see that Alastor had followed him.

"Are you ever going to tell him?" Alastor asked with a raised eyebrow.

"There's nothing to tell him," Albus lied.

Alastor gave him a skeptical look. "Don't play dumb with me, Albus. Just because he's blind to it, doesn't mean I am. We both know that your feelings for Gellert go beyond friendship," Alastor remarked.

"But his feelings do not and that is the point," Albus reminded him. "I would rather he be my friend then for him to reject me."

"You don't know that," Alastor said matter of factly. "For all you know he could feel the same way."

"And all the girls he dates are what? Good friends?" Albus asked sarcastically. Then he sighed. "I'm sorry, Alastor but he's straight and will always be. There's nothing, I can do about it."

"So you're just going to put away your feelings for him?"

"I'm being doing it for five years and I've gotten pretty good at it," Albus answered firmly. "Now if you excuse me, I have to get back to work. If I'm lucky, I will have missed Gellert telling the story of his latest conquest."

* * *

When Albus got back to his desk, he saw Gellert talking to a familiar black haired woman.

"Ah there he is," Gellert said with a smile. "Albus, this is Minerva McGonagall. She said she wanted to speak with you."

Minerva's eyes lit up when she saw Albus. "Albus, it's good to see you again," she greeted him with a smile.

"Minerva, is that really you?" Albus greeted her cheerfully. Minerva hugged him.

"You two know each other," Gellert said in surprise, sounding a little jealous. Albus guessed that he had been expecting Minerva to fall to his charm as many girls did. But since Albus had come in, Minerva didn't even glance at him.

"Minerva and I were in the same house in Hogwarts," Albus explained. Alastor coughed in his hand. "And Alastor."

"I'm glad to see you, Albus. I need your help," Minerva told him softly. "One of my students has disappeared and I need your help to find him."

"Minerva, I'm afraid we solve murders. The missing person department is downstairs," Albus said gently.

"Now, now, Albus. If this lovely lady needs our help, we should assist her the best we can," Gellert remarked, flashing Minerva a blinding smile.

Minerva ignored him. "The student is Tom Riddle," she whispered.

Albus' eyes widened. Tom Riddle was a terrifying boy and the heir of Slytherin. Rumors circulated the school that he had been the one to let out a monster that killed a young muggle-born. Albus had interrogated him when he was put on that case. There wasn't a shred of evidence against him so he was never caught. But Albus had known that it had to be him.

"Who's Tom Riddle?" Gellert asked curiously.

"The prime suspect in the heir of Slytherin case," Alastor answered before turning to Minerva. "I don't understand. That boy was a criminal and a murderer. Why on earth would we want to find that son of a bitch?"

"Because I have reason to believe that he is planning to start a war against muggles," Minerva answered, taking out a letter. "I found this under Mr. Riddle's bed. It's from his grandfather."

Albus read it over as Gellert and Alastor went to read it over his shoulder.

_To my grandson, _

_You are a credit to the noble house of Slytherin. I'm proud to call you my grandson even though your mother was a bitter disappointment. _

_I have thought over what you said. And I quite agree. Muggle are animals, they deserve to be killed. I'll contact an old friend of mine from Germany and you can bring your friends to our meeting spot. We will decide how to begin there. _

_But be careful, Tom. That fool Dumbledore got onto us before and he could try to find us again. He may be a fool but he's crafty. He won't stop until you rot in Azkaban. So perhaps you should disappear for a while. Somewhere that even Dumbledore won't think to look for you. _

"I haven't shown this letter to anyone else," Minerva told them. "You are the only one I can trust, Albus. We need to find him before it's too late."

"Don't worry, fair maiden, we will help you," Gellert promised her.

"We'll do everything we can, Minerva," Albus said kindly.

"I knew I could count on you," Minerva said happily, kissing his cheek before walking out, not even glancing at Alastor or Gellert.

"She still got it bad for you, Albus," Alastor remarked with a small chuckle as soon as Minerva was out of earshot.

"We better get started," Albus said quickly before Gellert could add his two cents. "Gellert, why don't we go talk to the Malfoys. I know Riddle was friends with them."

"Maybe we should invite Minerva to come with us," Gellert suggested. Albus didn't look too pleased but he nodded and followed Gellert out.

Alastor watched them go. "Minerva has a crush on Albus who has a crush on Gellert who's flirting with Minerva. This oughta be good," he muttered to no one in particular.


End file.
